


Say Something

by jappfrost



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Percico - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 23:06:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1138516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jappfrost/pseuds/jappfrost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico is about to leave Camp Half Blood for good. Gaea has been defeated and the war between the Greeks and the Romans has been preempted. He sees no reason in staying there any longer. But just as he leaves, he is confronted by a determined Percy Jackson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say Something

Nico di Angelo hopes that his glare is enough to drive away Percy Jackson. But who is he kidding? Everybody knows how persistent the son of the sea god can be when he is set on doing something.

“Talk to me, Nico.” Percy pleads, obviously exasperated. Ever since his trip to Tartarus, he has realized how bad of a friend he has been to the pale young boy standing a few feet away right in front of him, on the verge of leaving Camp Half Blood for good. He waits for a response. It feels like hours since they have been standing there, but in reality, it has only been minutes. When Nico merely turns his back on Percy, he has had enough. How horrible has he treated him?

“Look. I’m really sorry, Nico,” He tries to apologize for the nth time. “I’m sorry that I was not able to protect – save – your sister. I’m sorry I doubted your loyalties during the Titan War. And I’m sorry that I failed to be a friend. I want to make it up to you. I really do. But could you at least let me try, Nico, please?”

The son of Hades stands still with his back facing Percy. He refuses to answer.

“ ** _Say something_** ” Percy moves closer though he is still a bit wary. One wrong move and the shaggy-haired demigod may vanish into the shadows.

“ ** _I’m giving up on you._** ” Nico blurts out. “That’s why I’m leaving.”

Nico’s answer sends a shiver down Percy’s spine. He is hoping for Nico to open up but he really is not expecting this kind of answer. He realizes Nico means what he has said.

“ ** _I’ll be the one, if you want me to,_** ” Percy jokes, attempting to lighten the mood. He laughs at his own words but when the other boy remains still, he drops it. “Okay. Sorry. I’m just trying to cheer up the aura a bit.”

“ ** _Anywhere, I would’ve followed you._** ” Nico mutters. Percy barely hears it.

“Nico?” Percy feels so confused. He wishes the boy can stop being so cryptic. It makes this conversation so much more difficult for him.

Seaweed brain. Maybe if Annabeth were here, he can ask her to analyze the situation.

“I do not understand.” Percy confesses. “Follow me?”

Nico laughs and Percy decides that’s a good thing. But there are no words.

“ ** _Say something,_** ” Percy seeks Nico’s voice once more. “Don’t make me look like I’m talking to a wall.” Percy ventures to jest a second time. Nico, who’s face Percy still cannot see turns into a deeper scowl.

“ ** _I’m giving up on you._** ” He tells Percy, a hint of sorrow in his voice. “ ** _And I am feeling so small._** I feel like a coward doing this, Percy. I just have to. If I stay here any longer…” He hesitates. He turns and looks straight into the other demigod’s beautiful sea green eyes.

The son of Poseidon patiently waits for what Nico has to say. He takes in the gaunt form of the boy. How much sorrow has this young boy endured? Misplaced in time, lost a mother and a sister, endured Tartarus all alone, and… Annabeth.

“Annabeth.” As soon as Percy speaks her name, he notices how the pain in Nico’s eyes becomes evident. “Is this about her, Nico?”

The younger demigod looks at him with hurt. He shakes his head and laughs mirthlessly. “Not the way you think, Percy.”

Percy is relieved and frustrated at the same time. He is relieved because whatever is bothering Nico is not about Annabeth. But he is frustrated because he still does not know what the hell is wrong.

“If not Annabeth, then what?” Percy shouts a little too loud. Nico backs away from him a little and looks down as if the roots of Thalia’s tree is the most interesting thing to look at in the world. A few feet away from them, Peleus the dragon snores comfortably, with small embers occasionally escaping through his nostrils.

“It’s something that I’d rather you not know.” Nico whispers sheepishly. “ ** _It was over my head._** But I’ll be fine once I leave, Percy. So let me.”

Percy punches the tree that protects camp. Leaves begin falling down their heads. “I hate this!” He exclaims. Nico looks up and his almond eyes meet Percy’s once again. Tears begin welling up in both their eyes.

“ ** _I know nothing at all._** ” Percy sighs and Nico wishes that he can just easily confess all of his bottled up emotions. But he just can’t. How can he tell Percy that he loves him when in fact he should despise him?

“ ** _And I will stumble and fall,_** ” Percy’s words breaks Nico away from his reverie. “Just to find out how I can make it up to you. Just allow me, Nico. You are important to me and I don’t want you to just leave without this rift between us being patched up.”

“There is no rift between us that needs patching up.” Nico’s tears fall down his quickly reddening cheeks. He looks away.

“But you’re giving up on me.” Percy places his hands on Nico’s shoulders. His heart breaks at how locked up Nico has become with his emotions. Gone are the days when he will drone on and on about Mythomagic. The boy whose eyes are curious is replaced with someone whose eyes are cautious and defensive. “Nico, you know you can tell me what’s wrong. I can be like your big brother. Fine, **_I’m still learning to love…_** ” he stops to contemplate the next words he is to say.

Percy does not realize it but the words ‘big brother’ hurt Nico rather than comfort him which is what he has hoped. But what is Percy learning to love?

“Love what?” Nico can’t help asking. He hopes his tone is indifferent.

He meets Percy’s gaze and though the other boy is merely staring, he can tell that the son of the sea god is thinking.

“You know, **_just starting to crawl…_** ” Percy fumbles with his words. “What I mean to say is that, the war with Gaea is finally over. And we’re at peace. How long it is going to last, we do not know. But we are having it now at this very moment. And that’s what I’m learning to love. And it will be a pleasure to spend this life of peace with the people who have been with me during those troubled times. And that includes you, Nico di Angelo. But you keep shunning me out. Why are you doing this to yourself? To me? Open up, please.”

Oh. So that’s what he is learning to love. Nico feels foolish for having thought that everybody’s hero will actually fall for him, the creepy child of Hades. He drops his head and his tears begin to flow even more.

“ ** _Say something,_** ” Percy implores. He shakes Nico by the shoulders lightly. He waits but the other boy simply sobbed and is at a loss for words. Percy sighs. “ ** _I’m giving up on you._** ”

In a flash, Nico raises his head and seeks Percy’s eyes, those eyes that have been imprinted in his memories the first time he sees them.

“ ** _I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you._** ” Percy releases his hold on Nico’s shoulders. The other boy just stares, tears still flowing like a river down his cheeks. The area becomes still and eerily quiet. Peleus’ snores can no longer be heard. The atmosphere is chilly, perhaps mimicking the Ghost King’s mood.

“ ** _Anywhere, I would’ve followed you._** ” The son of Poseidon wipes away the tears from Nico’s cheeks. He smiles at the younger boy, though his own eyes are enveloped with sadness and pity. “ ** _Say something._** Because if you won’t, there’s really nothing I can do. **_I’m giving up on you._** ”

Nico struggles internally. He has thought that it will be better off this way, when Percy finally gives up on pursuing him. He has pondered that if Percy will stop pestering him, it will be quicker for him to forget about the son of Poseidon. But why does it feel so wrong? Why does it feel so impossible for this hero to give up on his friends? He is supposed to be loyal! In fact, loyal to a fault! But why is he giving up now? Nico is so astounded that he has pushed Percy to his limits and he cannot let that be. He gathers up all his courage to speak just as Percy begins to turn around, back to Camp Half Blood where everyone is celebrating the recent victory against Gaea.

“ ** _And I will swallow my pride,_** ” Nico chokes at his own words. Percy stops and turns to him. “ ** _You’re the one that I love…_** ”

Nico closes his eyes, afraid of seeing what Percy’s reaction could be. But he waits. He waits if Percy is going to say anything. But he hears nothing. He assumes that Percy is disgusted with him and with finality, he decides to leave.

“ ** _And I’m saying goodbye._** ”

He turns his back to Camp Half Blood, to Percy, to his cabin, to the Big House, to the strawberry fields and to all those brief yet happy memories. He walks away slowly, taking his time to say goodbye to all of those. He is taking his time to steel his mind that he will never see Percy Jackson ever again.

But he just cannot bear it.

“ ** _Say something, I’m giving up on you!_** ” He screams. His voice breaks. He wails and all his emotions come out with each and every word. The ground shakes and the green scenery around them turns brown and then quickly to black.

“ ** _And I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you!_** ” Percy rushes toward Nico and encloses the wailing demigod in a tight embrace.

_I’m sorry that I failed to notice all this time. You saved me countless times. You were always there, behind me, supporting me, and I failed to see you. And I feel so stupid for just realizing all of it now. I’m sorry, Nico. I’m really sorry. I love you too, Nico di Angelo, but as a big brother. Gods, I feel so terrible. I promised Bianca that I will take care of you, but all I ever did was hurt you even more. How could I ever make it up to you?_

Percy wishes to say all of these but his thoughts get jumbled in his head and he can’t speak them out.

“I love you so much, Percy Jackson.” Nico professes his feelings once more. He buries his head on Percy’s chest as he sobs all his pain away. “ ** _And anywhere, I would have followed you,_** but it just hurts so much! Each time I see you, I want to resent you for failing my sister, for failing me! But I can’t! And then there’s Annabeth. Whenever you are together, it just pierces my heart like a thousand little daggers, knowing that I can never be in her place! And all of this, it’s all wrong! I’m a guy and I I’m supposed to like girls but I just can’t bring myself to do so! Instead, I have to fall for you. I know you can never return these feelings, Percy. That’s why I want to keep it all to myself. I don’t want your rejection. I’m better off not knowing how you’d react when you find out than… than this!” He sobs uncontrollably and there’s just nothing that Percy can say that will calm down the son of Hades.

“ ** _Say something, I’m giving up on you._** ” Nico implores to Percy. But Percy is too dumbfounded. For once, he does not really know what to do. He panics. If he does not say anything, the boy will leave for good.

“ ** _Say something, I’m giving up on you._** ” Percy, abandoning the idea of finding the right words, simply tightens their embrace and plants an affectionate kiss on the younger demigod’s forehead.

Immediately, Percy feels Nico calm down ever so slightly. The surroundings stop turning to black but most of what is around them has already died away.

“ ** _Say something…_** ” Nico sobs.

Percy continues to pacify him until the lonely demigod falls asleep on his shoulder.

**Author's Note:**

> Interspersed in the dialogues are the lyrics of Say Something by A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera which greatly inspired me to do the fic. :)


End file.
